Half of Americans believe the worst coronavirus pandemic is still ahead, with officials warning that a difficult winter is coming, and the United States has set a record for daily deaths from the virus.
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A COVID-19 disaster morgue consisting of refrigerated trailers is at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll released Friday found that 51% of Americans say the worst outbreak is yet to come, while 25% say the worst is already over. Nineteen percent of respondents say the pandemic is not and will not be a major problem.
Health officials reported more than 17.2 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States, most of any country, and the country exceeded 300,000 deaths this week, with a death toll now exceeding 310,790.
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Amid growing cases, the survey found that 68% of Americans, most since the foundation began asking the question in February, are very or somewhat worried that they or a family member will get COVID-19. Democrats are almost twice as likely as Republicans to worry about themselves or their families getting sick, 83% versus 46%.
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While Americans fear contracting the virus, they continue to follow the rules of social distancing and face-covering recommendations. Nearly three-quarters of 73 percent of Americans say they wear a mask every time they leave home, a 21-point increase in a May poll. The same percentage believes that wearing a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is part of everyone’s responsibility.
Among political parties, Democrats are most likely to wear masks, with 87% saying they always wear a mask outside their home, compared to 71% of independents and 55% of Republicans. Republicans are divided when it comes to the responsibility of wearing a mask, with half saying it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect the health of others and 45% saying wearing a mask is a personal choice.
As the US begins mass vaccinations, the survey found that the majority of adults, 70%, say they can continue to follow social dividing lines for six or more months or until a vaccine is widely available to the public. Seventy-five percent of respondents said they could follow the instructions for another four to six months, and 9 percent said they would not comply with social distance restrictions at all.
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